Mailing-box



(No Model.)

E. B. HILLMAN.

MAILING BOX v Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

M /Mqgm UNITED STATES EDVIN B. HILLMAN,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

MAILING-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,039, dated August13, 1889.

Application led J une G, 1889. Serial No. 313,307. (No model.) l

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN B. I-IILLMAN, aV residentof Peoria, in thecounty of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Mailing- Boxes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use the same.

My invention is in boxes especially adapted for protecting articlesplaced therein rather than to serve as permanent receptacles subject tofrequent opening and closing. The boxes are therefore adapted formailing or shipping small articles of all kinds, and for other analogoususes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a boxembodying my invention, parts being broken away to show construction.Figs. 2 and 3 are similar side views of the two pieces or blanks otwhich the box is formed, the exposed face being that intended to formthe interior of the box. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the part shown inFig. 3.

In the drawings, A B A and O D O are plane strips of some tough ornon-brittle wood-such as basswood or the like-and each of them whenbent, as shown in Fig. l, forms two sides and an end of the box, whichis internally rectangular and externally nearly so when formed preciselyas shown. Each of these pieces is rectangular and normally plane, andhas upon one of its faces two grooves E E, parallel to and equidistantfrom the ends of the piece respectively, at a distancetrom each otherapproximately equal to the width or depth of the box, and each of awidth a little greater than its depth. Vhen thus formed, each piece maybe bent into U shape, the thin wood at the bottom ot the grooves bendingwithout material breakage of liber near the ends of the middle segmentsB D. The end segments A A C C are then parallel, and the outer walls Gotthe grooves rest as shoulders upon the adjacent portions of the middlesegments B D, as shown in Fig. 1.

Except the grooves E E, there are no cuts or irregularities whatever inthe piece C D C but the piece A B A is rabbeted at F along its entiremargin, the rabbet being in width just equal tothe thickness of theother piece and of any convenient depth. The relative proportions of theseveral parts are such that when the two pieces are thus bent into Ushape and brought together, as shown in Fig. l, all parts of therabbet-groove are iilled by the corresponding edges of the other piece,and there is formed a complete box having all parts of the margins ofeach of its six walls supported against the action of force tending tocrush the box.

It is evident that the box is adjustable in length, it being practicableto draw the two parts in opposite directions without otherwisedisplacing them with reference to each other, and when this is done thebox is still adapted for cert-ain purposes, as, for example, to protectpapers rolled for transmission through the Inail.- Bytsuch sliding ofthe parts the boxis adjusted to the length of the roll to be placedtherein, and although open upon two opposite sides near each end it isstill effective to prevent crushing, the .parts being held in place, asin case the box were entirely closed by cords. or wrappings, or both.

If desired, the wood may be re-enforced at the bending-lines by cloth orthe like glued upon the outer face of each piece. Then this is done,entire separation of the wood along such line does no serious harm 5 butas this seldom occurs by accident the strengthening expedient is ofcomparatively small importance. f

l. The box composed of two approximately equal Ilat strips, the iirstbent into U shape and the second bent into the plane of the edges of therst, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. rlhe box composed of the transverselygrooved and marginally-rabbetedpartA B A', bent into U shape, and the similarly-grooved part O D O',bent into likeform and having its edges resting in the rabbet in thefirst part, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signedV this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

EDIVIN B. HILLMAN.

Vitnesses:

WM. HAWLEY SMITH, LIZZIE A. PULsIPHEE.

